NFL insider thinks Buccaneers would trade up for QB in Round 1 of NFL Draft
The prelude to the 2023 NFL Draft is filled with more uncertainty that we've seen in recent memory and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be part of the predicted organized chaos. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport recently appeared on the most recent episode of NFL Now and discussed what could happen if one of the draft's […]
The prelude to the 2023 NFL Draft is filled with more uncertainty that we've seen in recent memory and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be part of the predicted organized chaos.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport recently appeared on the most recent episode of NFL Now and discussed what could happen if one of the draft's top quarterback prospects were to fall out of the top-10.
Rapoport believes the Buccaneers are a team that could make a move in this situation
The thought heading into the draft is four quarterbacks are essentially a lock to go in the top-10, so it'd be borderline-shocking if one were to slip. But Rapoport thinks that's going to happen. Regardless, there are plenty of QB-needy teams in the NFL and it's easy to imagine them tripping over each other in hopes of snagging a top talent.
Rapoport listed the Buccaneers as one of those potential teams.
"It's unlikely to me that we get 1, 2, 3, 4 quarterbacks," said Rapoport. "A more likely scenario is two, maybe three, obviously depending on what the Houston Texans do at No. 2, go in the top four… If that happens you might see a quarterback slip into the teens… Let's say it's Anthony Richardson. We know that several of the teams in the teens have done work on quarterbacks; from the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"It's really going to be fascinating to see who decides to come up for a quarterback. And the reason I say come up is rarely does everyone just sit. If it's a quarterback and you think he's a part of your future – rarely are you patient. [It's] more likely you're impatient to leap up and get your guy."
Taking a quarterback in Round 1 is a bad idea for the Bucs
Yes, the Buccaneers are coming off the most successful three-year stretch in team history and a lot of it was the result of excellent quarterback play. It makes a ton of sense the team would love to have a reliable, highly effective quarterback for the next half-decade, at minimum, instead of three years. Especially considering how cheap the new option would be.
But the team simply isn't in a spot to use premium draft resources on a quarterback, like Richardson, that may not be ready to start for a couple of years. Another big factor in the Buccaneers' recent success was the supporting cast. The Bucs have a ton of holes to fill right now and they are going to have questions, next year, as well. They need immediate impact -to whatever extent- from every pick they make and that's even more adamant for their first-round selection.
In the short-term, Richardson's success will depend solely on his coaching staff and the players around him. The Buccaneers could have an entirely new staff in 2024 if things don't go well in 2023 and that would likely include a new GM, which means likely turnover at multiple spots.
In other words: Richardson, a prospect who already needs time to develop, would have to add another year to his timeline.
If the Buccaneers finished with one of the worst records in the NFL and had a top-5 pick, it'd make all the sense in the world to take a QB.
But they don't. The timing just isn't right for them to make a move like Rapoport suggested.
